


Unexpected

by andromyntra, Laranida



Series: How to train a lawyer ^_^ [1]
Category: Suits (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Firm as Family, Gen, Legal Questions, Spanking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-04
Updated: 2018-02-04
Packaged: 2019-03-13 04:18:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13562646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andromyntra/pseuds/andromyntra, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Laranida/pseuds/Laranida
Summary: It always, always pays to read the contract you sign and know what exactly you are signing. It's one of the crucial lessons a lawyer should learn as soon as possible.Pearson Hardman is not just one of the best lawyer firms because they hire exclusively from Harvard. Their employment contracts are using a little known archaic law that allows the use of corporal punishment as a sanction.But Mike Ross is not really a lawyer and he signed up without reading the contract.





	1. Reading the contract

Mike was overjoyed when he got the opportunity to work at Pearson Hardman. He couldn't quite believe that someone was actually willing to give him an opportunity like that and he signed the contract without reading it. This job was everything he ever wanted _and_ it would give him enough money to ensure the care Grammy needed. Since that had been motivation enough to give in to Trevor and try selling drugs there couldn't possibly be anything in a legal contract that he wasn’t willing to do.

Harvey had warned him about the drug test but the reality of that ordeal prompted him to go through his contract in detail and there it was. A clause that was wholly unexpected: Possible sanctions for employees will be handled according to the statutes of New York, Worker’s Writ (WOW) article 8 §24.  
He had checked the source just to be sure his usually perfect memory wasn't playing tricks on him. The Worker’s Writ was an antiquated agreement with limited significance but it was still in effect. The conclusion was undeniable: One of the most successful law firms in the world was using corporal punishment on their employees - from the highest ranking lawyer to their lowest intern. Mike wouldn't have thought it possible. He thought back to his first appointment with Louis. How the associate had rubbed his hands over his bottom in a nervous gesture before he'd been fired. Who would have guessed that there was more to that gesture than nerves?  
Astonished he leaned back and let his mind wander. Grammy hadn't spanked him, ever. But he had always loved to read, especially the classics: Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, Oliver Twist, the works of Enid Blyton. A lot of his childhood books had included little nods to punishments that seemed a relic of the past (no matter the legal situation in several states). Like the obscure and antiquated law that had been used to draw up his contract.  
His heartbeat was speeding up as he examined the clause again.  
“We promote freedom of expression and open communication. But we expect all employees to follow our code of conduct. They should avoid offending, participating in serious disputes and disrupting our workplace. We also expect them to foster a well-organized, respectful and collaborative environment.  
This policy applies to all our employees regardless of employment agreement or rank. [...] Our company may have to take disciplinary action against employees who repeatedly or intentionally fail to follow our code of conduct. Disciplinary actions will vary depending on the violation.  
Possible sanctions will include those specified in WOW article 8 §24  
§24 In the event of a serious transgression or a consistent behavioral problem a superior in the workplace is within his rights to use corporal punishment  
(1) if that course of action has been presented as a possibility in advance (written or verbal) with adequate opportunity for a rejection or negotiation  
(2) if that course of action seems likely to have a positive effect by establishing propriety and guiding the employee to adhere to the code of conduct in the future, allowing two parties to make amends  
(3) if other consequences (like demotion, suspension or termination) would negatively impact the business in a significant manner

It had to be some kind of test. Spanking might be a topic for jokes or have a certain appeal in the bedroom but it just wasn't something that happened. It didn't happen as an official punishment in the workplace. It definitely didn't happen to lawyers - people like Harvey. It had to be a test. He'd find out how to overturn the clause and prove that he belonged in the firm. There was no way all these lawyers let that happen to them.

The very next day, Mike saw Louis take one of the associates into his office and the clear walls suddenly tinged black.

The associate in the cubicle next to him winced before looking back at his monitor. Mike felt a pain in the pit of his stomach. It couldn't be happening. Just couldn't be.


	2. The Past and the Present

Harvey was sitting at his desk, working late as usual when Donna came in. He looked up with a slight grin on his face, raising one of his eyebrows and getting ready for a bit of banter about the long, thin box she was carrying. The moment he saw her face, however, a realisation started to dawn on him. His good mood vanished and he was glad that he had sent Mike home - the kid had worked a few late nights, quite well, and there was nothing on the agenda right now that required creativity. Harvey had thought he had earned an evening off. His good mood was gone now though.

Donna's face was set in hard lines as she opened the box, without a word, took out a cane and placed it on Harvey's desk. She stayed in the room while Harvey stared at it, frozen. He felt bile rise up, his hands turn clammy and he looked away. He couldn't look at it, couldn't look at her. He had seen one of the canes when he had worked in the mailroom. His supervisor had it, but it had never been used on him. He finally managed to look at Donna, who just shook her head, then he got up and charged out of the room.   
  
\-------------  
  
A few minutes later Harvey paced the floor of Jessica's office. "I can't!" he shrugged, and went back to pacing again. Jessica watched him quietly. She had known this would happen. Harvey was ruthless, as he himself liked to say, but the man was averse to causing actual pain of any sort. That was the reason most of his deals were legit - his desire not to cause any harm lead to the right person getting justice. He would never accept that description, however.   
  
"If you don't want to, Louis can do it." Jessica finally suggested, sure that comment would shake him out of his spiralling thoughts.   
  
"What?" Harvey practically screamed. "No. No. He already has it in for the kid because he's my associate!" Louis had been intimidating Mike from the moment he set eyes on him. "He pretended to fire someone to scare Mike! He'd slaughter the kid!"  
  
Jessica fought the urge to roll her eyes. Harvey could have killed it on the stage. She took a breath before speaking again. "Your associate cannot be exempt from the policy. You discipline him, or you hand him over to Louis. Or, fire him and pick another from the existing associates who are used to Louis."  
  
"They're all stupid!" Harvey shouted. "And even if I pick one with half a brain, Louis would know each time I've had trouble with a case. Jessica, maybe it's time to get rid of that goddamn bylaw! It's outdated! This is bloody New York. Corporal punishment is not allowed in schools, for God's sake!!"  
  
"Children cannot consent to corporal punishment. Your associate signed a contract." Jessica said in a quiet voice, forcing Harvey to lower his.

"Half of them don't read it!" Harvey pointed out, stopping the haphazard pacing to stare at Jessica.  
  
"They're lawyers." Jessica said with a smile playing on her lips.   
  
"It's barbaric!" Harvey said, teeth clenched.  
He could tell he was losing ground but it wasn't enough to stop him. If only he were able to concentrate and leave his feelings out of this discussion. In this state he was no match for her.

"You signed it before you were a lawyer. You signed it again, as part of your contract before I sent you to Harvard law, remember?"  
  
"I signed it because I didn't have a choice. And - and -" Harvey broke off. The real reason was too pathetic for him to admit.   
  
"And because you had a promise from me, that no one else would lay a finger on you." Jessica finished his thought, making him blush.   
  
"Jessica..." Harvey began, then stopped. That part of his career was something he had hoped to forget.   
  
"Remember Judge Hughes? The time you tried to make up evidence? The bar fight?" Jessica said, and Harvey winced at each reminder. Did Jessica have a photographic memory too?   
  
"Yes." He tried to keep his voice level through the single syllable.   
  
"You were on your feet, at your best, the next day. Every time." Jessica said.   
  
"Yes." Harvey found the confidence in his voice again.   
  
"If I had suspended you, or put you to doing paperwork, or just yelled at you, do you think you would have?" Jessica got up to stand directly across from Harvey. Harvey had no answer to her question, and Jessica continued. "It's the one idea which Van Dyke had that actually works"   
  
"He gave you a job!" Harvey spat at her. Jessica smiled inwardly. A diversion, hmm? It was time to end the conversation.   
  
"He chose me to fulfill the requirements for having female associates. And I kicked him out. The man didn't have two brain cells to rub together." Jessica crossed her arms and looked at Harvey. "You know you have another choice." She said calmly, and Harvey turned away from her to look out of the window. His cheeks were hot. There was no way Jessica was going to see that.    
  
"I'm not touching his- Damn it, I don't lean that way." Harvey said, his back to Jessica. He hoped that was good enough. Maybe Jessica would get angry or uncomfortable. Maybe.   
  
Jessica laughed. "Have you really tried to tell yourself that it was sexual?"   
  
Harvey blushed deeper and his nostrils flared. "No." He spat out. When he turned, his eyes were pleading. "Don't make me do it." He said, his voice low.   
  
"I didn't like doing it, Harvey." Jessica walked up to where he stood. "You're a senior partner, and you owe it to your associate to train them in the best way possible. Now, get out of here and pull yourself together. Tomorrow you're telling that kid what happens if he screws up."   
  
\--------------   
  
Mike walked into Harvey's office and stopped when he saw the worry on Harvey's face. Everything had been going so well the day before.   
  
"Harvey?" he asked, and Harvey pressed a button on his desk to make the walls darken. Mike gulped. What was going to happen?   
  
Harvey opened a drawer and took out the cane. He looked at Mike, and quickly dropped it back inside. Mike turned pale. Maybe the kid really had read and understood the contract.   
  
"I don't want to, so don't screw up." Harvey said, and Mike nodded. He wouldn't. Ever.


End file.
